The remains of the fifteenth Mai Tangle, the paramount ruler of Tangale Kingdom, Dr. Abdu Buba Maisheru II, has been laid to rest in his palace at Poshiya, Billiri LGA of Gombe State.
The funeral service, which was held in the palace, brought together sympathizers from far and near who came to bid farewell to a royal father whose reign symbolized peace and development in the state.
In a sermon titled, “The Death of a Righteous Man,” the ECWA President Rev. (Dr.) Stephen Panya Baba, said that the death of a saint was precious in the sight of God and described the late monarch as a saint whose commitment to the work of God should be emulated.
The cleric, who drew scripture lessons from Isaiah 57 and Psalms 115:16, among others, maintained that the grace of God that was keeping others alive towards service and repentance was the same grace taking others away to spare them from the evil of the world.
He disclosed that, no matter how powerful one was in this life, death is inevitable and the only way to escape eternal damnation is to live a righteous life through Jesus Christ.
In his message, the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, represented by his deputy, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, stated that the departed monarch was one of the greatest rulers of today considering his contributions to peace making, fostering harmonious coexistence and development of Gombe State and the nation as a whole.
Quoting from John 9:4, the governor said: “Jesus teaches that we must work while it is still day for night comes when no one can work” and admonished the sympathizers to maximally use their time while still alive as nothing could be done in death.
While conceding that it was very painful to part with a loved one, he encouraged the Tangale nation to accept the monarch’s death in good faith as death is part of “God’s provision that all mortals shall translate into immortality at the fullness of time.”
In his remarks on behalf of the Christian Traditional Rulers of the 19 Northern States, the Secretary-General of the forum and the Chief of Panda in Nasarawa State, His Royal Highness, Barrister Joel Azinge, described the demise of the Mai Tangale as “shocking and devastating.”
He said that the deceased was very humble, played a prominent role in fostering peace not only in his chiefdom but across the nation and was instrumental to the formation of the National Christian Traditional Rulers Forum.
There were tributes from the Emir of Gombe, who was represented by the Nidu Grah Cham, HRH, Dr. James D. Chachis; the Folo Dadiya, HRH, Abdulkadir Abubakar; Mai Tula, HRH, Abubakar Atare Buba; representative of Gbong Gwom Jos, Kwandi Nungurah of Lunguda; and many other prominent personalities.
Dr. Abdu Buba Maisheru II died at the age of 72 after ruling the Tangale nation for nineteen years and left behind his wife, children and many relations.